Gwen Stefani Explains Why She's Obsessed with Harajuku

Gwen Stefani steps out to pick up some items at a Barbeque store on Sunday afternoon (September 25) in Studio City, Calif.

The 46-year-old singer recently opened up to WWD about where her Harajuku obsession came from. She said that her dad traveled to Japan often for work when she was a child and would bring back treasures from the nation.

“Having that connection as a little girl and my personal obsession with fashion and tradition and culture and all things modern, I got there and I was like, ‘What was happening? I should be Japanese. This is my place. I love this place,’” Gwen said.

“In the Harajuku district, which was, of course, happening for years and years before I discovered it, it was the self-expression and the need to be different and unique and stick out and be outrageous,” Gwen added. “It was always something I loved to do as well… When it came time to shopping for clothes, I said, ‘Mom, I don’t want to go the mall for clothes. Give me $100. I will go to the thrift store and get so many things.’”